Number of EI recipients up slightly in August: StatsCan

A total of 534,400 Canadians received regular employment insurance benefits in July, up 16,400 from the previous month, according to Statistics Canada.

After a long-term downward trend in Quebec, the number of people receiving regular EI benefits increased to 157,030 in July, up 10,240 (seven per cent) from the previous month. In Ontario, the number of beneficiaries continued to rise for the second month in a row by 2,980 (1.9 per cent) to 158,890.

There were also notable increases in the number of beneficiaries in Alberta, which saw an increase of 3.5 per cent to 26,620. British Columbia also saw the number of beneficiaries increase by 3.4 per cent to 57,690, New Brunswick saw an increase of 3.4 per cent to 34,280 and Saskatchewan saw a 3.3 per cent increase to 9,890.

To receive EI benefits, individuals must first submit a claim. The number of claims provides an indication of the number of people who could become beneficiaries.

Nationally, the number of initial and renewal claims was down slightly by 1.3 per cent at 232,400 in August, following little change in July.

Provincially, claims fell by 11.3 per cent in Ontario, 8.7 per cent in Alberta, 6.3 per cent in Prince Edward Island, 5.6 per cent in both British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and four per cent in Manitoba. Claims increased 5.2 per cent in Quebec.